Mark 8

vs 1

See, I read this one verse, and I can see what's coming.

vs 2

Similar situation. Come on guys, you can put 1 and 1 together!

vs 3

Look, he doesn't want to send them away. They're hungry. What will you do?

vs 4

See? Come on, guys. Even the average joe, having heard Jesus heals people, brings someone on the assumption he can do it twice.

vs 5

Seven. More than last time, but with no fish.

vs 6

Again, following a similar formula.

vs 7

Unless a few was a few thousand, we're not really changing anything from last time.

vs 8

I wish I was there. I personally have no need to see miracles per se, but this one is just too awesome. It's my favourite, I think, and not because it feeds people. It is just so unexplainable.

vs 9

Is that men, women, children? Doesn't say. Still a heap.

vs 10

I love that they follow him for days, he feeds them, then just dismisses them as if class is over, and off they go on their next adventure.

vs 11

Perhaps they were just hungry, and bummed they missed out on the bread.

vs 12

Ouch. Although, it's not as if he hasn't given a heap of signs, and isn't about to give yet more. So why even say it? Perhaps this is linked to the whole 'faith that saved you' thing. Jesus doesn't just do miracles for entertainment. Sure, when he does them people might see them, but much of what he does is about compassion as well as testament.

vs 13

Quick boat trip, that.

vs 14

What happened to all those baskets? Perhaps they distributed them among the people.

vs 15

Just... I mean, he says Pharisees and Herod right there. Unless they own bakeries, how could anyone mistake what he's talking about? You know, I bet they did have their own bakeries.

vs 16

Of course it is. That makes perfect sense. Only possible explanation.

vs 17

I suppose the answer is yes.

vs 18

Seriously guys, after all Jesus has said and done, does he have to use these words to describe his closest posse?

vs 19

They remember the details.

vs 20

Seriously! It was in the same chapter! Not that that necessarily reflects chronology, but it was obviously put here for a reason.

vs 21

Note that Jesus doesn't explain it to them, nor us. You would have to be thick not to get it. But people are thick. That's why we need preachers.

vs 22

New story, new cripple, another miracle, we assume.

vs 23

Again, we have the spitting in the eyes, the rubbing, as if Jesus needed to clean his eyes off or something. But Jesus can bring people to life by telling them to stand. He can heal people's daughters without seeing them. So what is the purpose?

vs 24

The blind man, he can see something, but it looks like trees. Obviously this guy wasn't born blind - he knows what trees look like.

vs 25

Which, you know, is awesome. This guy is obviously going to be happy with this.

vs 26

And once again, Jesus tells him to keep it secret. Best of luck keeping that you aren't blind any more a secret. You might be able to do it if you have a white cane and a labrador, I suppose. But this story starts and ends, and we're left thinking, "Okay, so Jesus heals a blind man. Big deal, he's healed plenty." Why pick this story out? Because of the spit on the eyes thing? Okay, great, what does that tell us about Jesus, that his power is running low? Obviously not. The answer, I think, lies in the story that follows. This is just one example of why we can't read things purely in isolation. You need context. It's vital.

vs 27

What's the next story about? Well, Jesus wants to know what his reputation is among the people, who they think he is, how they explain his miracles and teaching.

vs 28

All good answers, really. You might think it's funny that he's not just allowed to be Jesus, but remember, people thought the prophecy was that Elijah would return, so you sort of look for him.

vs 29

Huzzah for Peter! So now we see a little bit of why the miracle was put above - Peter's eyes have been opened. He can see the truth.

vs 30

And once again, Jesus gives his strange, messianic secret warning. I think we've talked about this a fair bit, so we'll move on from it for now.

vs 31

This is obviously a strange teaching to hear when you've just heard Jesus call himself the Messiah - or at least agree to it. We don't expect our powerful leader figures to talk about them being captured and killed.

vs 32

Peter is obviously thinking what I would be thinking - don't ruin the moral of the team!

vs 33

And so now we see that, sometimes, people's heart's blindness can only be partially cured at first. I suppose sometimes we all see Jesus as just a tree walking around, and not in the stark relief that we should.

vs 34

Strong, terribly powerful words. Jesus makes it clear - not just to the twelve, but all the disciples, that his way is a way of death. It's at about this time we would be calling it a cult.

vs 35

The eternal reward picture is strong. It takes a lot for people to be prepared to risk their lives. Of course, not everything people risk their lives for is eternal. Makes me wonder about communist rebels, though - they really want to go and die for the greater good? Strongly held, if a little mistaken, beliefs there.

vs 36

Obviously not much good. But do we think about this enough? I know I certainly don't. I quite like the world sometimes. Particular bits of it. Are they worth my eternal soul? Damn, hard saying.

vs 37

Well, lots. But is it worth it is the question. I mean, mad guitar skills? So the story goes, anyway.

vs 38

I wonder how many people turned around and just walked away here, thinking, "Take up cross? Lose your soul? This is too much. I liked him better when he healed blind people." It sounds crazy, but a lot of people say it now, "I like what he has to say about loving your neighbour, but I don't like what he has to say about righteousness or hell." So I imagine it was similar back then.